


All I Want To Do Is Dream

by Avirra



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Halloween
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 17:28:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6018487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avirra/pseuds/Avirra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek Morgan wakes up in the hospital.  Or does he?</p>
            </blockquote>





	All I Want To Do Is Dream

**Author's Note:**

> Pre-reading warning : This was originally written for Halloween and the ambiguous nature of it is deliberate - read into it what you will as with the classic short story 'The Lady or The Tiger'.

_**It's not denial. I'm just selective about the reality I accept.** _ _\- Bill Watterson_

* * *

 

"Derek?"

Derek Morgan attempted to open his eyes, but had to give up. They felt like some joker had attached lead weights to his eyelids. But he heard the voice that he had been afraid that he would never hear again and struggled to respond.

"Reid?"

"I'm right here like I promised. Don't scare me like that again, please?"

Derek felt the long fingers wrap gently around his hand and heard the relieved sigh before Reid's voice softly prodded him again.

"What do you remember?"

"Blood. I remember. Seeing you covered in blood."

"You're remembering right. That was your blood. We got you to the hospital in time. The doctor said you're going to be fine."

His mind got a little clearer, but his eyes still refused to cooperate.

"I remember hearing a gun go off. More than once. At least I think so."

"That's right too. Hotch got the Unsub, but not before Unsub fired. Just take it slow. A little disorientation is to be expected. You're just waking up after the surgery. Or - maybe not. You're still tired, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes I am."

He still couldn't make his stubborn eyes open but when he felt Reid squeeze his hand, Derek managed to squeeze back as Reid's voice dropped down to a softer pitch.

"Go back to sleep. I'll be here when you wake back up."

* * *

The next time he felt his consciousness returning, Derek knew who was in the room with him without opening his eyes. Which was just as well since the lead weights were still attached to his eyelids. There was Garcia - he could hear her sounds of distress and smell her fruity-sweet perfume. And Hotch. Quiet, but he had a distinctive cologne.

"Baby girl - cut out the water works before we have to get a mop brigade in here."

He heard the gasp followed by the subdued squeal.

"We've been so worried. How are you feeling?"

"Like a guy that got shot. So - you got him, Hotch?"

"Yes I did, but how did you know? I thought you were unconscious by then."

"Reid told me. Where is he? He said he'd stay here. Be here when I woke up."

Derek stopped speaking, feeling that something was wrong. Wait. Why was Penelope sobbing again? The way Hotch was clearing his throat wasn't normally a good sign either.

"Morgan."

Hotch paused, then tried again.

"Derek. Reid - Reid didn't make it. I'm sorry."

"Didn't make it? Didn't make what? He was just here. The first time I woke up. What happened?"

Garcia leaned closer and took hold of Derek's hand as Hotch spoke softly.

"Reid saved your life. When you were hit, the bullet nicked an artery.  Reid stayed with you and kept pressure on the wound to keep you from bleeding out all the way to the hospital. The doctor said it was probably the adrenaline that kept him from noticing. Reid was so focused on you, he never realized that he'd been hit himself. And there was so much blood that nobody realized that it wasn't all yours until he collapsed."

Morgan's voice was barely over a whisper.

"Reid was shot? But he was here."

Garcia gave his hand a little squeeze and he heard her hiccup as she got her breathing back under control. Her voice was still shaky when she spoke.

"I heard him promise to stay with you. He tried, he tried as hard as anyone could have to stay. But by the time that the doctor knew he was hurt, he'd lost too much blood. He didn't make it out of surgery."

Derek stopped trying to open his eyes and just sank back on the pillows, worried Garcia as he went limp.  The machines didn't sound any alarms, but Garcia fretted.

"Hotch, should I call the nurse?"

"No. She warned us that the medication would have him going in and out for awhile. Let him rest. It was a lot for him to take in."

* * *

Derek welcomed the darkness for awhile. Then his dreams interrupted the peace. Blood. Blood everywhere. Blood covering Reid like the prom scene in Carrie. Gasping, he broke himself out of it and felt those long, familiar fingers wrap around his hand again.

"Shhh - it's alright. I'm here. Just like I promised. You're going to be fine. Calm down. Your heart's racing. That's not good for you so soon after having surgery."

"I had a - a really screwed up dream. I dreamed that you were dead. That you died saving my life."

"Easy. Easy. I'm here. We're both here. Hallucinations might be an aftereffect of the anesthesia. Do you want me to get the doctor?"

"No! No doctor. Just - just stay. I'm a little spooked."

"I will. Derek? What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid that my dream might have been real and that being here with you might be the dream."

Derek still hadn't opened his eyes. He no longer even tried to.

* * *

 _ **Now I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly, dreaming I am a man. –**_ Zhuang Zi


End file.
